Fluid meter temperature compensating means



ug- 19, 1952 A. J. GRANBERG FLUID METER TEMPERATURE COMPENSATING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 7, 1947 INVENTOR.v y ALBERT J. GRA/VBERG' BY All@ 19. 1952 A. J. GRANBERG 2,607,224

FLUID METER TEMPERATURE coMPEMsATTMG MEANS Filed July 7, 1947 i 3 sheets-shea*n 2 INVENTOR. ALBERT J. GRANBERG H/s A r fon/VHS A; J. GRANBERG FLUID METER TEMPERATURE COMPENSATING MEANS Aug. 19, 1952,'

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 7, 1947 frhmmuwll INVENToR. ALBERT J- GRANBER @am m H/s ArroR/vgys Patented Aug. 19,A 1952 FLUID METER TEMPERATURE COMPENSAT- ING MEANS Albert J. Granberg, Oakland, Calif. Application July 7, 1947, Serial No. 759,384

My invention relates to the dispensing of fluids, and more particularly to the metering of fluids which are subject to appreciable volumetric changes with variations in temperature.

thevolume of such fluid must be calculated back .to a predetermined temperature basis.

Thus, according to one practice, a 12,00() gallon tank car of gasoline, for example, illed vat 70 Fahrenheit, will register on the meter as V12,000

gallons, but Will be invoiced at 11,928 gallons, which Wouldbe its volume at 60 Fahrenheit, this latter temperature being taken as the reference temperature. This ligure is obtained by subtracting from the meter reading (12,000 gallons), the value obtained by multiplying the meter reading by the coeficient of expansion of gasoline (.0006 gallon per degree rise) times the change in temperature Among the objects of my invention are:

(l) To provide a novel and improved fluid metering means;

(2) To provide a novel and. improved metering means for measuring a fluid in terms of its volume at other than its existing'temperature;

(3). To provide a novel and improved uid metering means adapted to automatically compensate for volumetric changes in theuid, occa--V sioned by changes in temperature;

(4) To provide a novel and improved fluid metering means capable of adjustment' to measure fluidshaving different coeicients of expansion.

Additional objects of my invention will be v brought out in the following descriptionof a pre- `ferred embodiment of .the same, taken inconjunction .With the accompanying drawings Whereinj 1 Figure 1 is a view in section through a meter embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view in section through the temperature compensating portion of the meter;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the meter control panel;

Figure 4 isa view depicting a structural' detail of the temperature compensating portion of the "chamber to record volume of iluid passing through the meter in terms of gallons. Such '4 claims. (o1. 73-253) response is realized bya drive connection labetWeen the rotor and th e ,counter, which drive connection involves a stub'shaft I5 extending from the rotorA through thewall ofthe metering chamber into the upper Achamber by Way of a sleeve bearing I 'I and carrying at its end a pinion I9 in mesh with a gear. train 2lA leading to the counter. The sleeve bearing passes th'roughan oversized opening in the metering'lchainbe y"Wall formed with a aange 23 atitsinnerenam complementary t withthe v v lj'surfacepf the chamber, to permit of alijntc lft 'gofffthe'roton whereby to vary the Volume aiibration ofthe meter. The shape of theope'nmg isimmaterial, just rso long as it permits',` of, the limited shifting of the rotor. The snug fit btweenfthe sleeve flange and the inner surface he meter chamber Wall is maintainedbyafcoil' prin'gj257 about the sleeve and maintained-under' `'coinpression" by a' stop washer 21 surrounding thej'sleeve and aixed thereto as'by welding on asnapring,

The upper chamber inthe casing'is .closed 'off at the front of the meter by@ paner'zsi which supports oneend'of a manual control 3l for altering the volumetric', calibration 'ofqthe meter through adjustment `of 'the r'jpfositio-n inv the metering chamber. Q

Such manual control 'includes a ring '3 3 closely fitting about lthe sleeveian'd h eld in position against the o-uter surface of the metering chamber Wall by the compression spring 25.. The ring is formed with an'u'pturned flange 3 5 to which is aixed a nut housing 31. flhisihousingen'closes a nut 39, the intermediatef 'rtioniof vwhich is of an enlarged diameter and formedwfitn peripheral teeth to `constitute `a pinio'n'fd'lg Aj threaded control rod 43 passing througlr apackinggland 45 in the panel, threadedly engages this nut, and at its panel end, carries a control knob 41 backed up by a dial 48. Acompress'onfspring 49. between an abutment Washer Sl'adjacent the .nut housing y and the packing gland,1"se'rve vtojhold the packing under' compression' a v1 at the lsaine time holds the control 'knob againstv movement away from the panel, whereby manipulations of'the knobr will necessarily causethenut torun up or down the control rod and thereby change the volumetric calibration bi'.the meter."

As thus far described, the meter, when properly adjusted for ac'curacy attheexisting temperature as by manipulations ofjithecontroliknoblil, will not take into account'volume changes yin fluid occasioned by changesin', temperature from such previous prevailing ror referenceternperature.

To .compensate for change `n 'temperature so as to maintain a meter reacl ii i v to a predetermined terrrg'era1', ur e`y for Which the meter may have been initially adjusted, vI provide means for altering the ol ric characteristic of the meter acc'o vvithY volumetric changes in the iiuid,`i n e by uch`temperature changes.

Toward this end, there isprovid'ed a` bellows "53,

preferably of the Sylphon bellows type, anchored at one end' toa support 55;, leaving its other end free td-move in response toexpansion and contraction brought on by changes in temperature.

From the free end of the bellows there extends 4. with the coefficient of expansion of the fluid to be metered, the temperature changes induced in the bellows by the fluid flowing in temperature transfer contact therewith, will cause the meter to hold to the particular reading rate, characteristic of the temperature for which it was inia rod 51 which is slidably mounted in a bracket 59 extending out from the rear surface of the panel 29. Movements of the bellows occasioned by changes in temperature are translated into changes in the volumetric adjustment of the meter `by causing the `same to act upon one end of a balance bar 6l `which is fulcrumed against a fulcrum block 63 mounted on the bracket 59, the other fend of .the balance bar in turn acting against means for effecting changes in the meter adjustment. l v

The fulcrum block 63 is preferably slidably mounted .on the bracket under control of an adjusting knob 6,5 V backed up by a dial 67 carried on the panel, the adjusting knob having a shank 69 threadedly engaging an extension ll of the fulcrum block whereby rotation of the knob may be translated intoashifting of the fulcrum block withindesired limits.

The bellows rod 51 carries ,a pin 13 which engages in anotch at ,one end `oi the balance bar, While at the other end of the balance bar, a corresponding notch permits the bar to positively engage a pin 15. in a similar rod 'l1 slidably supported at one end in the bracket 59, and at its otherend, terminating in a rack 1 9 which passes through the nut housing to mesh with the piniondl.

The rack is resiliently maintained in mesh with the pinion by a small compression spring 8l within the nut housing and bearing against the rack, and is further stabilized by a coil spring 83 surrounding the rod and held'under compression between .the nut housing and a stop' washer 95 aflixed about the rod at an intermediate point thereon.

Expansion or contraction of the bellows, reacting through the balance bar, will cause corresponding movements of the rack, which in turn will rotate the pinion .and produce a change in the volumetric adjustment of the meter. Inasmuch as .fluids such as gasoline, oil, etc. have linear expansion characteristics, it is important, from the viewpoint oi accuracy, that the bellows also have such characteristic, and to assure this, the bellows is preferably filled with any liquid having a linear expansion characteristic. Alcohol is suggested as `an ideal liquid for this purpose since itis non-corrosive, will withstand low temperatures without freezing, and will not age with time.

Since the coeicient of expansion of the liquid in the bellows .may not coincide with that of the fluid to be metered, the location of .the fulcrum block may be adjusted to compensate for this difference, whereby the resulting variations in the volumetric adjustment of the meter will agree with that of the liquid being metered and not with that of the ud in the bellows. The ability to shift the fulcium block for this purpose permits of the associated dial 61 being pre-calibrated in terms of the coefficient of expansion for different fluids, whereby the meter may be adjusted to temperature compensate for such fluids havingdilferent coefficients of expansion. l

VVOnce the meter has been adjusted to read accurately at a given temperature and with the fulcrum block properly adjustedin accordance tially set.

In order to enable the meter to be adjusted so as to give a reading rate, characteristic of some other reference temperature, the support to which the bellows is amxed is made adjustable. And by making itadjustable, the volumetric characteristic of the meter may be so altered that at the reference temperature, the meter will measure a full gallon of the fluid for each gallon indication on the counter.

Starting out with such an adjustment, the meter will thereafter record on the counter an output which would be recorded at the reference temperature.

Accordingly, with this in mind, the support for the bellows may take the form of a bracket slidably mounted betweenV guides 81 on the rear of the panel. Such bracket is biased in one direction of movement by a compression spring 89 disposed between one end of the bracket which is flanged for the purpose, and a flanged stop 9i bolted to the rear of the panel. Adjustment of the initial position of the bellows is against the action of this compression spring by means of a manually controllable cam 93 disposed in an opening through the base of the bracket in contact with an offset edge 95 of such opening.

The cam is provided witha shank 91 passing through a packing gland in the panel and terminating in a knob 99.

Inasmuch as any particular meter when once adjusted to meter a particular fluid, will require no further adjustment other than possibly to alter the reference temperature of the meter, I prefer to protect the panel controls against unauthorized tampering, by applying thereover a hin-ged glass cover |99, capable of being locked.

To make it possible under these conditions to adjust for reference temperature of the meter, I prefer to provide the control knob with a diametrical groove IUI while in the glass cover I mount a key-controlled lock 193 having at its inner end a tongue N5 capable of meshing with the groove in the knob, with the glass cover in position.

Thus the meter may be adjusted to a desired reference temperature with the glass cover in position over the panel, and the necessity of utilizing a 'key to make adjustment, precludes unauthorized tampering with this adjustment.

Should it be desired to restore the meter for normal operation at a prevailing temperature in which case no temperature compensation occurs, all that is necessary is to adjust the reference temperature of the meter to correspond with the prevailing temperature. To facilitate making this adjustment, I mount on the panel, a dial thermometer |91 whose temperature responsive element 199 extends into the ow path of the Vfluid passing through the meter, whereby the thermometer will indicate the temperature of the fluid, since it is the temperature of this fluid as it passes through the meter, which determines the temperature compensation of the meter.

The fact that all adjustments and controls work against spring compression, is an important feature of the invention, in that lost motionV is eliminated in the operation thereof, thus assuring a high degree of accuracy in the results obtained.

From the above description of my invention in its preferred form, it will be apparent that the same fulfills all the objects of my invention as originally set forth, and while I have described this preferred embodiment in considerable detail, the same is subject to alteration and modification without departing from the underlying principles of the invention, and I, accordingly, do not desire to be limited in my protection to the specific details illustrated and described, except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. For use with a fluid meter having an adjustable volumetric capacity and a volume calibration adjustment for altering said volumetric capacity, means responsive to temperature changes for automatically altering said adjustment substantially linearly per degree change in temperature to maintain a meter reading rate relative to a predetermined reference temperature, said means including a bellows anchored at one end, means for coupling said bellows at its other end in movement transfer relationship to said volume calibration adjustment, said coupling means embodying a balance bar, a fulcrum block adjustably engaging said balance bar at an intermediate point thereof, a rod extending between said bellows and one end of said balance bar, and a rod extending between the other end of said balance bar and said volume calibration adjustment; means for guiding fluid to be metered, into temperature transfer contact with said first means whereby said rst means will respond to changes in temperature of said fluid; means for varying the meter reading rate to accord with a different reference temperature, said means including a panel, a bracket slidably mounted on said panel and to which said bellows is anchored, and means for shifting said bracket and bellows to alter said volume calibration adjustment to a reference position representative of the desired reference temperature; means for modifying the temperature response rate of said temperature responsive means to accord with the coeflcent of expansion of the fluid to be metered, said means including a control on said panel adapted to shift the position of said fulcrum block with respect to said balance arm; a transparent cover over said panel; and a key-operated control mounted in said cover and having interlocking engagement with said means for shifting the bracket and bellows.

2. In a fluid meter having a means enabling alteration of the relationship between the actual output of the meter and the indication of such output, a panel, a bellows support, means slidably mounting said support on the rear side of said panel, spring means normally urging said bellows support toward one end of the permissible movement thereof, a temperature-responsive bellows axed at one end thereof to said support in the flow path of liquid to be metered, means coupling the opposite end of said bellows in an operating connection to said relationaltering means to alter the adjustment thereof in response to temperature expansion and contraction of said bellows, a cam rotatably mounted on the rear side of said panel in camming engagement with said support, said cam including a shaft passing through said panel, and means for rotatably adjusting said cam to effect shifting of said support and bellows in opposition to said spring means, said cam rotating adjusting means including a knob at the end of said shaft on the front side of said panel, a window supported over said knob, a key controlled lock mounted in said window in line with said knob, and a tongue and groove connection coupling said key controlled lock and said knob.

3. In a fluid meter having means enabling alteration of the relationship between the actual output of the meter and the indication of such output, a panel, a temperature-responsive bellows, means supporting said bellows at one end thereof behind said panel in the flow path of .liquid to be metered, with the longitudinal axis of said bellows substantially paralleling said panel, a balance bar, a bracket extending from the rear of said panel normal thereto; a fulcrum block slidably mounted on said bracket and engaging 'said balance bar at an intermediate point thereof, a rod extending from the free end of said bellows and slidably supported at its remote end by said bracket, a pin on said rod engaging said balance bar to one side of said intermediate point of engagement of said fulcrum block, a rod extending from said relation altering means and also slidably supported at its remote end by said bracket, a pin on said rod engaging said balance bar to the other side n point of engagement.

4. In a fluid meter having means enabling alteration of the relationship between the actual output of the meter and the indication of such output, a panel, a temperature-responsive bellows, means supporting said bellows at one end thereof behind said panel in the flow path of liquid to be metered, with the longitudinal axis of said bellows substantially paralleling said panel, a balance bar, a bracket extending from the rear of said panel normal thereto; a fulcrum block slidably mounted on said bracket and engaging said balance bar at an intermediate point thereof, a rod extending from the free end of said bellows and slidably supported at its remote end by said bracket, a pin on said rod engaging said balance bar to one side of said intermediate point of engagement of said fulcrum block, a rod extending from said relation altering means and also slidably supported at its remote end by said bracket, a pin on said rod engaging said balance bar to the other side of said intermediate point, and means for shifting said fulcrum block to alter said intermediate point of engagement, said means including an adjusting knob on the front of said panel and having a shank passing through said panel and threadedly coupling with said fulcrum block.

ALBERT J. GRANBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'ETS Number Name Date 1,506,683 Staaf Aug. 26, 1924 2,095,522 Hejduk et al. Oct. 12, 1937 2,151,201 Griffith Mar. 21, 1939 2,208,687 Renfrew July 23, 1940 2,283,532 Brubaker et al. May 19, 1942 2,286,411 Hazard June 16, 1942 2,366,330 Griffith et al. Jan. 2, 1945 2,414,596 Griith et al. Jan. 2l, 1947 

